ILLUSTRATIONS. 19 



meadows.* The flowers in this family are of very singular 

 structure. As in most other Monocotyledons, they are made 

 upon a trimerous plan : that is, the parts are in threes ; and, 

 as in the majority of the petaloid division of Monocotyledons, 

 the perianth is six-leaved : that is, twice three organs are 

 brought together in close association, but here they acquire 

 great diversity of character. In the Spotted Palmate Orchis, 

 which has an upright stem, furnished below with spotted 

 simple narrow elongate leaves, and terminated by an erect 

 spike of spotted pink flowers, the three outer parts or sepals 

 are nearly alike, and of a narrowish or lanceolate form, while 

 the inner series of three consists of two convergent petals, 

 which resemble the sepals but are shorter, and a lip which 

 is much larger, three-lobed, entirely different from the rest. 

 In the centre, opposite to the lip, is another part called the 

 column, which is a fleshy body formed by the combination 

 of one stamen with the pistil. Theoretically three stamens 

 should be present, but in the Orchis two of these are con- 

 stantly abortive, and the central one only is developed. The 

 anthers in the whole family are very peculiar in structure. 

 This plant like many other orchids has a pair of fleshy tubers 

 or tuberous roots, one of which becomes wasted by the deve- 

 lopment of the current year's growth, while the other is form- 

 ing for the succeeding season. 



The Lady's Slipper, f another of the Orchids, shows some 

 variations of structure from that just noticed. It is larger- 

 growing, with ovate pointed ribbed leaves. The flower-stems 

 are a foot and a half high, supporting one or rarely two large 

 handsome flowers, of which the upper or dorsal sepal, opposite 

 the lip, is broadly lanceolate, and there is a similar one formed 



* Orchis maculata Plate 5 C (misnamed mascula). 

 f Cypripedium Calceolus Plate 5 D. 



C 2 



